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In 1755, Major General Edward Braddock and two army regiments set out from Alexandria with the objective of capturing Fort Duquesne, near present-day Pittsburgh. To transport their sizable train of artillery and wagons, they first had to build a road across the rugged Appalachian Mountains. It was almost 289 treacherous miles from Alexandria, Virginia, by way of Fort Cumberland in Maryland and on to the French fort; the road they built was one of the most impressive military engineering accomplishments of the eighteenth century. Historian Norman L. Baker chronicles the construction of the road and creates the definitive mapping of even those sections once thought lost. Join Baker as he charts the history of Braddock's Road until the ultimate catastrophic collision with the combined French and Indian forces.

Abolitionists, rebels and innovators have all tracked across the pages of Washington County history. Their stories and more were chronicled by beloved local historian Harriet Branton, who introduced readers of the "Washington Observer-Reporter "to the history hidden in plain sight. In the earliest tales, European settlers clashed with the Shawanese and Delaware Indians, and fiery local lawyer" "David Bradford led the Whiskey Rebellion. With the coming of the Civil War, the people of southwestern Pennsylvania overwhelmingly united to the cause of the Union--the LeMoynes of Washington and the McKeevers of West Middletown shepherded slaves to freedom, and Washington and Jefferson College sent its alumni to the key battles of the war. Join Branton as she journeys from the rough-and-tumble frontier days of Washington County to the twentieth century ushered in by coal, oil and iron rail.

In 1907, a young girl was found dead in the Lyric Theatre, leaving behind an unwanted pregnancy and an abusive lover. On an otherwise quiet morning in 1891, a cartful of nitroglycerin exploded. The remains of the driver had to be gathered in a peck basket. The Cannonball Express lived up to its name in 1888, when an open switch caused it to shoot off the track, sending two cars flying. Local journalist A. Parker Burroughs resurrects these and other stories from southwestern Pennsylvania's shadowy past. From foul play at the Burgettstown Fair to the tragic murder of North Franklin's Thelma Young, follow the trail with Burroughs as he uncovers the crimes and intrigues of Washington County.

The National Road in Pennsylvania traces its roots to Native American trails and was converted by historical figures such as George Washington into a roadway for westward expansion. As the first federally built road in America, it played a crucial role in American history. Today, it is designated as a National Scenic Byway and an All-American Road. Along its ninety-mile stretch, there are significant historic sites, including the French and Indian War, the Whiskey Rebellion, the first cast-iron bridge in America, toll houses, coal mines, historic taverns, and automobile camps. Visitors can find mile markers, memorials, and the distinctive S-bridge.

Originally known as the House of Refuge in Pittsburgh, the facility was converted into an institution for juvenile offenders and moved to a healthier setting in 1876. Morganza's distinctive architecture, including a striking copper cupola, made it a landmark off Interstate 79 in Cecil Township. It served as a containment campus for delinquent youths for over 90 years and later as a facility for the mentally handicapped until its closure in 2000. Morganza attracts historical researchers, urban explorers, and ghost hunters interested in learning more about its past, and was featured in the film The Silence of the Lambs.

Get this t-shirt celebrating the Whiskey Rebellion. The idea of turning a portrait upside down began in Ireland when on St. Patty’s Day the people of Ireland would hang a portrait of the Queen upside down to show their disrespect. Alexander Hamilton, instigator of the Whiskey Tax, is turned upside down on this shirt. Collect this unique piece of historical wear